Salt and Pepper Fish

Method

1. 1

   Pat the fish very dry and cut it into pieces about two fingers wide. Salt it with the half teaspoon. Toss it with the cornstarch and shake off the extra. A heavy coat becomes paste. A thin coat is the crust.

2. 2

   Stir the remaining teaspoon of salt with the Sichuan pepper or white pepper. This mixture is 椒盐. If you have whole Sichuan peppercorns, toast them in a dry pan until fragrant, cool them, and crush them with the salt. Black pepper is a fair stand-in. It is not the same perfume.

3. 3

   Heat the avocado oil in a wide skillet over medium-high until a pinch of cornstarch sizzles at once. Fry the fish in two batches, turning once, until the crust is golden and the center flakes, about 145°F, usually 2 to 3 minutes a side. Drain on a rack. Do not crowd the pan or the crust steams.

4. 4

   Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil. Lower the heat. Stir the garlic, scallion, and chili for about 20 seconds, until the garlic smells sweet and is not yet brown. Return the fish, sprinkle on the pepper salt, and toss just to coat. Eat it hot.

From the kitchen

• Avocado oil is the fat for this fry. It can take the heat. Olive oil cannot, and it will taste bitter.
• The oil left in the skillet can be strained and used again the same day for a second batch. Do not store used frying oil for weeks.